Inspite of the absence of star allrounders Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan begin their World Cup preparations against Scotland with the first of two ODIs being played in Edinburgh.

Scotland have done well over the last year or so with Calum MacLoed and Richie Berrington at the forefront of their recent resurgence, providing Afghanistan a stern test in their big to cut it amongst the heavyweights.

Kyle Coetzer leads a formidable Scotland side looking to get one over Afghanistan with the likes of Mark Watt, George Munsey and Calum MacLoed in their ranks. Gavin Main stands a chance at making his debut, while Michael Leask should hold the aces in the spin department alongside Watt.

Richie Berrington provides the balance in the side while Matt Cross is expected to come up with some runs at the top of the Scottish batting unit.

Gulbadin Naib takes charge in his first match as captain while Asghar Afghan becomes only the second Afghan player to play 100 ODIs for the upcoming cricketing nation. In Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad, they have one of the best destructive opening pairs in world cricket and will be key to their fortunes on Wednesday.

Mujeeb ur Rahman's inclusion depends on his fitness, while Dawlat Zadran and Aftab Alam should use the new-ball for the Afghans. Najibullah Zadran and Samiullah Shenwari can also roll their arm over if necessary.

A high-scoring match is in store at the Grange Cricket Club with some help on offer for the pacers as well. Anything over 270 is likely to be competitive in Edinburgh.

Fantasy Tips and Suggestions:

Wicket-keeper: Both Matt Cross and Mohammad Shahzad are capable of scoring big runs at the top of the order, although Mohammad Shahzad should get the nod ahead of Cross considering his experience whilst playing in various leagues in the world.

Batsmen: Calum MacLoed and Rahmat Shah are great options in the fantasy team while the likes of George Munsey and Kyle Coetzer are also amongst the available candidates. Samiullah Shenwari has been a consistent performer for Afghanistan over the years and is one to keep an eye on.

Allrounders: Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib, and Richie Berrington are must haves in the fantasy side with both pace-bowling allrounders crucial to either side. Along with them, Michael Leask is also a handy option in the side.

Bowlers: Dawlat Zadran should make good use of the conditions upfront while the likes of Safyaan Sharif and Mark Watt should complement him in the fantasy team with a wicket or two. One of Aftab Alam or Mujeeb ur Rahman should suffice as the fourth and final bowling option.

Captain: Gulbadin Naib and Calum MacLoed are great option to have as captain while Richie Berrington's skill-set always throws his name in the mix for captaincy.